YALSA Diversity Taskforce

The YALSA Diversity Taskforce is in its second year, with an ultimate goal of helping to diversify YALSA's membership, as well as providing resources to help our members reach their Diverse Teen Populations. Members of the Taskforce will be regularly updating this page to include links and information to help you. Please check back regularly.

Alma Ramos-McDermott, Chair

REFORMA and YALSA: Working Together to reach Hispanic Teens

REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking) CAYASC (Children & Young Adult Services Committee) site offers many links that will help you serve your Hispanic teens. Below are some of these links described in more detail. In addition, the REFORMA list serve is open to all members, with many topics on Hispanic issues posted daily. You do not need to speak Spanish to become a member.

Latino Collection Development

To help with Latino Collection Development, REFORMA's CAYASC created a bibliography of YA titles that would be popular with your Hispanic teens.

The CAYASC committee also offers an Online Resource Guide to help librarians working with Diverse Populations.

Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents offers links to various sites where you can purchase books in Spanish for your Hispanic teens.

"What works for Latino Youth", a report compiled by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, offers many resources for reaching Latinos. The section for Middle & High School Latino teens runs from page 16-29, while the Youth portion is found on pages 33-39. There are also Community resources on pages 49-63. Each site includes a program description, services offered, as well as contact information.

The Colorin Colorado site offers great tips to help ELL (English Language Learners).

Advertising and Promotion of Programs for Latinos

When thinking about promoting your program, use some of the resources and translations developed by REFORMA's CAYASC committee. The document has information on who to contact, as well as tips on how to go about the promotional task.

Latino Culture & Arts

Latinoteca: contains information on Latino Art, Music, Literature and History.

WebJunction & Spanish Speakers

The Spanish Speakers section of WebJunction's site offers helpful links for serving this group, including webinars, as well as translation and outreach resources.

CALA and YALSA

About CALA

CALA is an ALA affiliated ethnic caucus organization that was founded in 1973. The organization objectives include enhancing communication among Chinese American librarians as well as between Chinese American librarians and other librarians, serving as a forum for discussion of mutual problems and professional concerns among Chinese American librarians, promoting Sino-American librarianship and library services, and providing a vehicle whereby Chinese American librarians may cooperate with other organizations having similar or allied interests.

APALA and YALSA: Committed to Asian/Pacific American Teens

APALA (Asian Pacific American Librarians Association) actively serves the Asian/Pacific American teenage population and recognizes the need to disseminate valuable information on Asian/Pacific American teens. APALA offers a listserv to its members where there is access to recommendations in regards to teen literature and programming.

Asian/Pacific Collection Development

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature APALA gives a yearly award for excellence in Asian/Pacific American young adult literature. The literary awards committee, comprised of various professionals in the field of young adult library services, is dedicated to selecting awarded titles.

APALA Newsletter APALA publishes a newsletter four times a year. A featured article found on page 3-6 in the March 2008 APALA Newsletter(Asian/Pacific American Literature at a Glance), highlights a list of notable Asian/Pacific young adult literature.

Quantity and QualityQuantity and Quality: The Need for Culturally Authentic Trade Books in Asian-American Young Adult Literature, by Virginia Loh, presents a helpful model in identifying titles that are authentic to Asian/Pacific teenagers.

AsiaSource Access to current events, art/culture, and links to information on various Asian/Pacific countries

Asian-Nation Offers information on the history, culture, and issues found within the Asian Pacific communities

GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered) Teens

GLBTRT The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Roundtable site has many links to help you serve your GLBT teens. Below are some of these links described in detail. In addition, the GLBTRT list serve is open to both members and non-members. To become a member, just add the GLBTRT to your membership when renewing your annual ALA dues.

GLBT Collection Development

To help with GLBT Collection Development, the GLBTRT created a bibliography of resources that would be helpful to use with your GLBT teens.

The GLBTRT also offers a 2008 Rainbow List of fiction and non-fiction books, published from 2005-2007, to help librarians working with GLBT children and young adults.

Multnomah Public Library of Portland, Oregon has an extensive list of almost 60 fiction and non-fiction GLBT titles on their site. Includes book jackets and summaries.